The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking farmers and ranchers to help improve how federal crop and livestock data are collected, saying accurate reports are essential to fair and orderly markets.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced this week that USDA is issuing a Request for Information seeking public feedback on its statistical reporting methods.
USDA reports on acreage, yields and inventories can significantly influence commodity prices, crop insurance guarantees and marketing decisions.
Officials say declining survey participation, shifting planting patterns and increasingly volatile weather have made data collection more challenging.
Farm groups and market analysts are raising concerns that outdated methods may not fully reflect conditions on the ground.
USDA is seeking ideas to modernize tools, improve producer response rates and better communicate uncertainty in reports.
Officials say the goal is to ensure reports reflect real farm conditions without unnecessarily moving markets.
